


Cake by the ocean

by Malec7



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Beaches, Eventual Happy Ending, M/M, Magnus Bane Flirts, Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood Fluff, Sexual Tension, Shirtless
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-17
Updated: 2019-06-17
Packaged: 2020-05-13 13:47:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19252438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Malec7/pseuds/Malec7
Summary: "Now I’m seriously afraid," Alec said, continuing to stare at his sister. "You and Clary only follow trash programs," he continued with a grimace. Izzy snorted and swirled her eyes."You’re always so suspicious. It’s something I think will do you good," she said, alternating the look between Alec and Andrew."How could it?" Alec asked, more and more perplexed."Well, you will spend some time apart, so you can reflect on yourselves, on your relationship, on what you really want," Izzy answered, remaining vague. She knew that the second Alec found out what program it was, he would freak out."Wait," Andrew stopped her. "Is that show where you go to a fabulous place, but we’ll be separated, and there will be single guys as tempters?" He asked her in amazement, while Alec at his side frowned.Izzy nodded energetically. "That’s right, temptation Island" replied euphorically. "In the gay version, of course""You’re crazy," Alec said, without too many words.Fic based on 'Temptation Island'Couple Alec/Andrew. Magnus tempter. Lorenzo tempter.And a lot of Malec





	Cake by the ocean

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Cake by the ocean](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/491074) by Come What Klaine. 



> Hello everyone! This is the first time I post something here, and I'm excited and even a little bit scared, cause english is not my language. I'm italian, and this is my second attempt of writing in english. I'm working on another Malec fic, that will come soon. 
> 
> So, this one is ispired to the program Temptation island. It’s kind of an experiment for me, because this is the first time I write something like that.  
> It’s gonna be a little trashy, but it’s also serious.  
> I put the OOC warning, because the situation requires it. Especially for Alec.
> 
> Obviously the couple who participate is Alec/Andrew Underhill. Between the two there is a bit of tension and insecurity, especially from Alec. Izzy will sign them up at this program.  
> They will live in separate villages with 13 single boys.  
> But Alec will only have eyes for one of the tempters. Magnus.  
> I already have a couple of scenes in mind. There will be a lot of sexual tension, but not only. Magnus will help Alec in his journey, will be someone always ready to listen to him and advise him.  
> There will be feelings between the two, but let us remember that Alec is in a relationship with another person. Who, by the way, will see everything that happens between the two in the famous bonfires.  
> One last thing: inside the ff there will be three characters from the tv series 'What if' (which I suggest to watch because it is beautiful), and they are Marcos and Lionel (the couple), and Kevin (the tempter).
> 
> And nothing, I hope you like it! 
> 
> If you find any mistakes, please tell me so I can fix them. 
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> (you can find the original version, in italian, here: https://efpfanfic.net/viewstory.php?sid=3844211&i=1)

Alec had to figure that when Izzy called him all euphoric and told him she needed to talk to him and Andrew, she was definitely up to something.  
Alec was grateful to Izzy for always being there and ready to support him. He also appreciated her attempts to solve the problems that had arisen between him and Andrew when he proposed to him to move in together. It was a big step and a part of him, a big part of him, still didn’t feel ready for that important step.

Alec loved Andrew, but moving in together would change things.  
_"That’s the whole point. Things have to change, Alec. We need to move forward in our future together_ ," Andrew told him, when Alec expressed his doubts.  
However, the boy had been understanding, giving him the time he needed to make that decision.  
The fact that it took so long to decide, however, created a lot of tensions in their relationship, bringing out more and more misunderstandings every day.  
Alec didn’t know how to handle it. In those eight months of a relationship, he and Andrew had hardly ever had an argument, while now they were even discussing the smallest of things. How did they get to that point? Alec tried to give an answer, but he couldn’t find it.  
He didn’t think taking time to think about living together would create all that tension.  
_"Don’t you think you’re taking too much time? I mean, I totally understand you wanting to think about it, but here’s the thing... don't think too much about it. It should be instinctive for you to say yes_ ," his sister Izzy pointed him out.

Alec was convinced that that decision was too important to be made on the spot, regardless of the pros and cons.  
_"You can’t rely on the pros and cons. There will be changes and certainly difficulties, but you and Andrew will be able to overcome them. It’s something that will strengthen your relationship_ ," insisted Izzy, trying to change his mind. But Alec was convinced he still needed to think about it.

_"What are you afraid of?" Andrew asked, sitting on the couch next to him._  
_Alec shrugged and sighed. "I don’t know. It’s that...I like what we have now. And I’m afraid that by moving in together, all this fades away," he admitted, remaining in his corner. Andrew moved towards him, putting his arm around him._

_"Honey, if we don’t try, we can’t know. And then, I’m sure we’ll make it work well," he tried to reassure him by stroking his arm, but Alec shook his head a little._  
_"I guess I’m not ready to take that risk," he said, and Andrew stopped caressing him, withdrawing his arm._  
_"Are you not ready or do you not want?" he asked him, and this time his tone of voice came out a little harder._  
_Alec sighed frustrated. "Why does every day end like this? You realize that’s all we’re talking about is moving in together? You ask me every day, you have to give me a break," Alec exploded, biting his tongue after he realized what he had just said._  
_"Sorry" he hurried to say. " Sorry, I didn’t want to. But it seems like we can no longer spend time together without talking about this. Hell, we haven’t even had sex in weeks!"_

_"Since I asked you to move in with me, I know. Why does it seem like a problem for you? I really want to take this step with you. And I want to figure out what’s holding you back."_

_Alec pointed his eyes at his own, feeling an unpleasant bite in his stomach. He felt guilty. Andrew had so many expectations and so much faith in him, it terrified him._  
_"It’s such an important step. And I don’t want to make a hasty decision, that’s all," Alec answered, as always. He felt like a broken record. Whenever asked, this was his answer. Jace pointed out that for him, it was now a defence mechanism. It was the easiest thing to say and the most harmless._

_"I know there’s more to it than that. Don’t you feel confident about us?" Andrew asked, almost frightened by the probable response._

_"It’s not that, I’m sure of what we have. Maybe it’s the unknown of what awaits us that frightens me. It took us so long to build what we have now, and by taking that step, there’s no going back."_  
_"That’s the point, Alec. We have to go forward, not backwards," Andrew pointed out, and Alec sighed. He didn’t feel understood. And to tell you the truth, he didn't understand himself either._

***

"You did what?" Alec exploded, looking at his sister with wide-eyed eyes. Andrew, beside him, assumed a confused expression.

"I signed you up for a program," repeated Izzy, not intimidated by those reactions.  
"Clary and I always look at it," she added with a big smile.

"Now I’m seriously afraid," Alec said, continuing to stare at his sister. "You and Clary only follow trash programs," he continued with a grimace. Izzy snorted and swirled her eyes.

"You’re always so suspicious. It’s something I think will do you good," she said, alternating the look between Alec and Andrew.  
"How could it?" Alec asked, more and more perplexed.  
"Well, you will spend some time apart, so you can reflect on yourselves, on your relationship, on what you really want," Izzy answered, remaining vague. She knew that the second Alec found out what program it was, he would freak out.

"Wait," Andrew stopped her. "Is that show where you go to a fabulous place, but we’ll be separated, and there will be single guys as tempters?" He asked her in amazement, while Alec at his side frowned.

Izzy nodded energetically. "That’s right, temptation Island" replied euphorically. "In the gay version, of course"

"You’re crazy," Alec said, without too many words.  
"Do you really think we’re gonna pull a stunt like this?" he asked, pointing to himself and then Andrew.

"She is not wrong..." said the latter, receiving a glare from his companion. Izzy smiled satisfied.  
"See? He is trying to enter in the right spirit"

Alec tried to object, but Andrew took his hand in his.  
"I know it sounds crazy, but, you know, it might help. We will stay away from the daily stress, and maybe pulling the plug is what we need," Andrew explained, while Izzy in front of him nodded in agreement.  
"Well, if we were together then yes. But we won’t do this adventure together," objected Alec. Andrew caressed the backs of his hands with his thumbs and smiled at him.  
"Perhaps the fact that we are not together will help. We will have time to reflect. To interact with people who are strangers to us, will do us good "insisted Andrew.

Alec shook his head, but then he found himself thinking about it. After all, it was only a few weeks, and maybe he would have been able to think about what he really wanted, without feeling any pressure.

"All right," he agreed, and Izzy almost jumped out of her chair. Alec turned to Andrew and nodded in response, smiling at him.  
"Perfect, on Friday you will have the interview with the producers, where you will talk about you and your story", she said, taking out of her bag the paper with the address and time of the interview.

"Pack your bags because you’re going to the Maldives!"

***  
After that news, Andrew had to go back to work, taking the opportunity to warn them of his future absence.

Izzy poured orange juice, observing Alec with a frown.

"Spit it out," he said, sitting in front of him. Alec looked up at her and shrugged his shoulders.  
"You’re right, you know, when you say that it should be spontaneous for me to say yes to moving in together. But that’s not what I feel. And it’s not just the fear of jumping into the void," he replied, fiddling nervously with his fingers.

"Don’t you see a future with him?" asked Izzy, looking for his gaze, but Alec had him on the table.

"I don’t know. Don’t get me wrong, I love Andrew, he’s wonderful and I feel really good with him. But it’s getting _too much_ , you know?"  
Izzy nodded her head, and reached out to grab Alec’s hands.

"I understand, you feel overwhelmed and under pressure. But if you think you’re not ready for this big step in the near future, you should tell him instead of stalling. It’s not good for any of you, and most importantly, it’s not good for your relationship."

"I don’t want to disappoint him," Alec whispered, observing Izzy’s fingers intertwining with his own.  
"Honey, you don’t have to base your relationship on that. You’ve lived too long trying to please others and not yourself, and I won’t let you do it again. Andrew will understand. He’ll be hurt maybe, but he’ll understand," said Izzy, and Alec sighed, pulling back tears.

"It’s like... sometimes I can’t feel what I was feeling before"  
"What do you mean?"

Alec tried to swallow the knot in his throat and cleared his throat. " I don’t know how to say this without feeling horrible, but it’s like emotions have faded."

"This could be because of the situation that has arisen. You have lost some...spirit, let’s say so. Maybe it’s just a temporary feeling," Izzy tried to reassure him.

"I feel that something has broken. And already for a while. Sometimes I feel like he asked me to move in with him to try and spice up our relationship. I don’t know what to do, Iz. It’s all kind of a mess."

Izzy strengthened the grip on his hands. "You have to take some time for yourself to figure out what you really want. I know it sounds scary, I know you’re afraid to find out that what you want is not what Andrew wants, but you owe it to yourself and to him as well."

Alec looked up at her and smiled thankfully, while some tears escaped from his control and slipped on his cheeks.

"Oh, Alec," said Izzy, rising from the stool, to go around the table and hug her brother.  
"It’ll be all right," she reassured him, gently stroking his shoulders.  
"You’ll be fine," she murmured, and Alec believed her. Sooner or later they would get over that situation and everything would be fine.

***  
Alec closed the suitcase with a sigh. Everything was ready. The only one not ready was him. Not so much for the departure, as for the speech he was going to have with Andrew shortly thereafter. They could not leave, leaving the situation unfinished. Alec would have been honest with him.  
When he heard the doorbell ring, he rushed to open the door, letting Andrew in, who left him a molded kiss.

"Are the bags packed?" he asked and Alec nodded.  
"Yes, Izzy and Clary helped me. They just left," he replied, taking a moment before continuing.

"There’s something I’d like to talk to you about," he began to say with uncertainty, moving a few steps towards the couch, while Andrew followed him in silence.  
After they sat down, Alec turned to him and took a deep breath.

"It’s useless to go around... I’ve tried to postpone this moment as much as possible. I don’t think we should move together, not yet," he said, going straight to the point. In part he felt he had shed a burden, but on the other hand he clearly felt a boulder resting on his chest when he saw Andrew’s disappointed expression.  
"I’m not saying it won’t happen, it’s just that I don’t think we’re ready right now," he said, trying to make it as painless as possible.

"I imagined it. I kept insisting in the hope of changing your mind, but it didn’t work," Andrew murmured, shrugging his shoulders.

"Now what?" he asked and Alec looked at him confused.  
"What do you mean?"  
"Do you want to stay together?" he asked. Alec nearly choked on his own saliva.  
"What? Are you kidding? Of course I do. I don’t want to leave you," he answered, looking at him puzzled. " Just because I don’t feel like I’m ready to move in together doesn’t mean I don’t want to be with you anymore," he went on, and then he suddenly stopped, like he had an epiphany.  
"Unless you don’t want to be with me anymore"  
"No no" hurried to say Andrew. "Of course I want to be with you"  
Alec was still a bit puzzled, but nodded. And he was also partly hurt that Andrew thought he would leave him.

"I think we’ve lost a little bit ourselves in this last period..." he said and Andrew agreed.  
"Yeah"

"I’m sorry, Andrew," Alec murmured, biting his lower lip not to cry. " I know I let you down, and believe me, it was the last thing I wanted to do. But-"  
"Hey, no. Don’t apologize. Yes, I’m sorry you made this decision, but I understand it. And I appreciate your sincerity. When we move in together, it’ll be because we both want it. I don’t want you to feel obligated," Andrew reassured him by extending his arm to caress his shoulder. Alec nodded and moved to be closer to him. He put his hand on his cheek and approached their faces, pressing his lips on his face. As soon as he went to deepen the kiss, Andrew escaped a bit.

"Excuse me, darling, but I have to go," he apologized, and Alec tried not to show his disappointment.  
"Of course, I’ll see you tomorrow," he said, returning to his place, as his boyfriend stood up, heading for the exit.

_Alec:_

_I'm an awful person_

_Izzy:_

_Did you tell him??_

_Alec:_

_Yes_

_Clary:_

_And?_

_Alec:_

_He was imagining it. And as I imagined, he’s disappointed._  
  
_Izzy:_  
  
_Honey, you’re gonna get over it. You just need time_  
  
_Clary:_  
  
_You will see that everything will be fine. If you are meant to be together, you will be able to overcome_

_Alec:_

_Thanks. To both of you._

_Izzy:_  
_And think that in two days you will go to the Maldives! And you will be surrounded by hot guys ahah_

_Clary:_

_This! When do you get a chance like this again?!_

_Alec:_

_That makes me quite nervous_

_Izzy:_

_Afraid of not being able to resist all those hot guys? : D_

_Alec:_

_Please... They're just there to make a scene. As if someone really cares_

_Izzy:_

_God, here comes the paranoia._

_Clary:_

_Try not to think too much about it as usual, and enjoy this experience!_

_Alec:_

_Of course..._

_Izzy:_

_Just relax!_

_Clary:_

_And enjoy the hot guys! Izzy and I will follow you from home haha_

_Alec:_

_OMG, it’s true. There will be cameras D:_  
_WHAT WAS ON MY MIND WHEN I ACCEPTED_

_Izzy:_

_Don’t worry, it won’t be live. When they air it, you’ll probably be almost at the end of the program, I think_

_Clary:_

_Yeah, so for the first two weeks, we won't know what it's happening_

_Izzy:_

_HOW I’M GONNA LIVE_  
_We can’t even communicate_

_Alec:_

_I’m about to have a panic attack_

_Clary:_

_Calm down! Breathe. Relax. And enjoy this holiday. And most of all, think about yourself._

_Izzy:_

_Live it the best way. I’m sure it will be great_

***  
The plane trip was rather tense, Andrew and Alec barely spoke, despite various attempts, which ended after a few sentences.  
As soon as they landed, they headed for the helicopter that was waiting for them to take them to the island of atollo baa.

Alec wrote a quick message to Izzy, telling her that they had arrived and that they would soon arrive at the resort and would no longer be able to communicate, since they had to deliver the phones to the production.  
Izzy had responded, wishing him good luck and reminding him to live that experience to the end, and above all advising him to stay calm and that everything would be fine.

Within a few minutes they were joined by the other competitors, who greeted them and presented themselves, and then took their seats and spoke euphorically of what awaited them.

A couple in particular attracted the attention of Alec. Marcos and Lionel seemed really two interesting characters. Maybe they were the most enthusiastic of all, and Alec had to admit that their enthusiasm was contagious.  
They looked so different, and yet it was clear that they would complement each other perfectly. There was security in their eyes in love, they knew they belonged and this awareness made them free.  
Alec probably looked at them a little more than he should, because the couple turned to him.  
"Excited?" asked Marcos, a boy of Spanish descent, with deep brown eyes, and delicate facial features.  
Lionel, his partner, a boy with dark skin, clearly charming, smiled.  
"We are. This will be a new experience, especially for my Marcos," he said, gently stroking his partner’s cheek.

Marcos turned his eyes, but smiled affectionately. "Lionel is convinced that I should experiment"

Alec frowned puzzled, as the two boys giggled.

"Marcos didn’t have any relationships other than me. I want him to be free to interact with other guys, and if he has any interest in anyone, he can deepen that knowledge," Lionel explained, while Marcos took his hand.  
"You know you’re the only one for me. You’re the man of my life," he said, kissing his uncovered arm.  
"That’s why I’m not worried that you might be interested in some other guy. You and I belong together. We are destined to be together," he said with confidence, leaning out to kiss him.

Alec looked away, pointing at Andrew, that was staring at the two boys with thoughtful expression.

"Hey, everything's all right?" he whispered to him, and Andrew nodded distractedly.

"And how will you deal with this experience?" asked Lionel. Alec and Andrew looked each other confused, not knowing how to answer, because they had not actually talked about that. How should they behave? They had not established rules, and they didn't make reassurance of any kind. Alec felt the panic making its way into him, while Andrew became a little rigid.

Marcos, understanding their discomfort, decided to take him up.  
"It’s normal to be tense. What I can advise you to do is to live it as quietly as possible. This will either strengthen your relationship or show you what isn’t working. However, it will change you and make you more aware"

Lionel nodded beside him. " Interact with people who are completely foreign to you and your everyday life, will make you see things from another point of view"  
"Have you already done this?" Andrew asked.

"We did something similar, but away from the cameras. It was an experiment for us. We were separated for a period of time, and that opened our eyes. We realized that we would always come back from each other," Lionel answered, while Marcos held on to him.

Alec smiled at him and wondered if he and Andrew would ever get to the point of achieving that awareness of belonging. And just for a moment, he wondered if they really belonged.

After that conversation, they changed the subject, just talking about less challenging things. They talked about their jobs - Marcos was a lawyer, but many of his cases were pro bono because he was always trying to help the less powerful in court; Lionel was a realtor, one of the best at what he said.  
Andrew talked about his work in the bank, while Alec said he would like to be a teacher and still attend college.

When the pilot informed them that they were about to land, Alec looked out the window and was amazed. Beneath them, the crystal clear waters of the Indian ocean shone under the warm rays of the sun. The island they were staying on seemed so close and Alec couldn’t wait to get there. From there you could see only an expanse of sand almost white, a thick vegetation of trees and plants, and some construction-including the resorts that would host them- and in the tail of the island, a row of bungalows built right on the ocean. In the perimeter around the island, the waters were of a soft green water, almost transparent, making clear the clear difference with the deep blue that surrounded them.

After they got out of the helicopter, they had to pack their bags on the speedboat that would lead them to the island.

"They make it very difficult to escape," one competitor commented, causing others to laugh.  
Once they took their seats, they left.

Alec wove his arm with Andrew’s, putting his head on his shoulder.  
"Are you nervous?" he asked him, giving him a kiss on the forehead. Alec lifted his head to look at him.  
"A little" he admitted. " And you?"  
"I think it’s normal to be a little anxious. But we have to enjoy this experience to the fullest. We are in a dream place, and yes it would have been great to be together, but being apart will help us. Let’s see it as a test. We will make it" Andrew reassured him, and Alec felt for a moment that he was trying to reassure himself.

***  
Having finally arrived at the island, they were accommodated in a structure not far from the two resorts where they would stay.  
The cameramen were already positioned at every corner, ready for the recordings, and Alec felt incredibly nervous at the idea of being filmed.  
Soon they were joined by Filippo Bisciglia, the presenter of that edition, although Filippo usually hosted the Italian edition of temptation Island.

The directors gave some pointers on where to position themselves in order to get the best shot.

"Now the introduction that we have already made will start. At the moment we only have the images of the footage of the island and Filippo explaining what will happen. When we air the program, fragments of your experience here on the island will be inserted," one of the stage managers explained.  
"We start with the intro, and then we’re ready to record."

_"Welcome to the first episode of the new edition of temptation Island. Many couples have requested to participate, but here there are the six chosen couples, ready to put themselves in the game. The more motivated to untie the knots of their relationship, the more determined to understand if what they feel is true love. For some it is the point from which to start again, for others it could be the point of arrival. It’s a unique opportunity for everyone to test their love story. Face the melancholy of distance, live the emotions, follow your own heart. All this is a real journey in the feelings. This is temptation Island."_

As soon as the introduction was over, everyone applauded.  
Alec didn’t know how to feel. On the one hand he seemed to faint, but on the other hand he was thrilled at the idea of putting himself out there, having time for himself and getting away from the stress of everyday life.

"After this, videos of your interviews, where you talk about yourself, your relationship, and their problems will be aired. You’ll get to watch them before they’re broadcast on television. Now, we turn your arrival, with various presentations and after the arrival of singles"

They were all lined up, with Filippo in front of them.

"Josh and Luke. Michael and Jack. Oliver and Liam. Nate and Archie. Marcos and Lionel. Alec and Andrew. You are the six couples of the first gay edition of temptation Island. You have chosen to test your relationship. Each of you with a very specific motivation. This experience will help you understand if your love is strong enough to overcome any kind of temptation," Filippo said, smiling at all couples.

Andrew slipped his hand into Alec’s, winking at him. Alec smiled and hugged him.  
"I’ll miss you," whispered Andrew, and Alec held him tighter.  
"You too"

"Now sit on those benches for the arrival of the single guys," one of the directors instructed.

"Be careful. You look and touch" Lionel joked, winking at Marcos, who shook his exasperated head.

Alec held back a puff while he gave Andrew an amused look.

The hooded figures wearing silk robes made their entrance, distributed in two rows.  
"Couples, it all begins now," announced Filippo, and after a few moments of silence, the first row of singles took off their dressing gowns.

Someone whistled and soon after heard the sound of a little slap and laughter.

"I’ve seen better," Lionel joked, rubbing his nose against Marcos' cheek, which turned his eyes.  
Andrew and Alec looked at each other uncertain whether to laugh or not.

"These are the thirteen single boys who will go to the village of boyfriends with the blue bracelet," Filippo explained.

"These are all yours," Alec said, raising Andrew's wrist surrounded by the blue bracelet. Next to them, Lionel was swinging his hand with the same bracelet.

"Red singles, you can show yourself," said Filippo, pointing to the other row of boys who promptly slid their robes away.  
Alec looked at them quickly, until his gaze rested on one of the tempters. For some strange reason he felt the breath blocking his throat and the palms of his hands began to sweat. Maybe because that boy was looking right at him. The moment he stretched out his lips in a smile, Alec felt blush. However, he could not take his eyes off him.

His olive skin seemed to capture and reflect the sun’s rays. His statuary and perfectly sculpted body was almost completely uncovered, except for a tight shorts swimsuit, purple with glitter of the same shade, which highlighted his complexion. Alec honestly didn’t know where to look before. If the beautiful face with Asian features, the wide shoulders, the arms so muscled to be able to glimpse the veins, the perfectly sculpted abdomen- Alec could count one by one the abs-the narrow waist, marked by the elastic band of the swimsuit, or the toned and firm legs.

Alec suddenly felt warm and the desire to dive into the cold waters of the ocean was almost a necessity. After he slipped his gaze on that perfect body, he pointed it back at his face, blushing when he saw those lips stretched out in a little grin.

Alec realized after a while that Filippo was talking. The couples had to separate into two groups and each group had to choose seven of the thirteen guys with whom they would live that experience.

After a few minutes of confrontation, the two groups were ready to indicate their choices.

"We choose number 2,4,5,8,9,12 and 13," Lionel said as spokesman for the blue group.

"We choose the number 1,2,3,6,8,10 and 12," Alec said, receiving a wink from tempter number 3, that is the one from which Alec had failed to take his eyes off.

"In a moment you will have the opportunity to know them better and to understand who might be a temptation for you or your partner," explained Filippo, before the director gave the stop of shooting.

"Now everybody go change and meet me in the garden in 20 minutes."

***  
After having changed and reached the garden, the couples separated in two rows, sitting on small armchairs.

"Couples, you’ll be separated soon. You will be twenty-one days apart, in the company of the single boys," said Filippo, and the couples exchanged threatening glances and smiles amused.  
Alec would never admit it, but a part of him was already relaxing and was thrilled with the experience he was about to have.

"Now you will have the opportunity to meet the single guys. The blue guys enter first"

The boys came in, this time fully clothed and with the name tag attached, and lined up along the poolside.

"If someone falls it’s not bad," commented one of the guys in the red group, probably quite jealous of their boyfriend.

Filippo took a wreath, showing it to singles and couples. "This is the wreath of preference. The singles will put it around the necks of those who hit them the most," he explained.

Alec stood at attention when one of the boys -even though it seemed to be bigger than the others, so he didn’t know how right it was to call him boy-, he put the wreath around Andrew’s neck. The latter smiled at the tempter and then turned to look at Alec, shrugging his shoulders.

The rest of the singles continued to distribute the garlands and, when finished, Philip continued.

"Now you will be engaged to express a preference. Tell me who you want to show up. Let’s start with you, Michael."

As the boyfriends chose singles, the boys in the other group glanced halfway between concerned and amused.

When Filippo asked Andrew, Alec settled down on the chair, observing closely.

"Lorenzo," he said, pointing out the attempt that had put the wreath around his neck. Alec had to hold back a sceptical grin.

"I am Lorenzo, I am 36 years old and I live in Seattle. I am an insurer, although some timeago I worked as a real estate agent. I think the best way to find a person is through direct contact. It’s useless to say great things, to describe yourself in a certain way and then to find that, precisely, they were just words. I’m always available for any kind of conversation," he said, smiling in Andrew’s direction, which he reciprocated.

Alec couldn’t help himself this time and made a grimace. Filippo turned to him, asking if he had anything to say, but Alec shook his head.

After the remaining singles showed up, Filippo called the other group.

Alec’s gaze instinctively searched for the single he had noticed on the beach, feeling a stranglehold on his stomach when the latter arrived and smiled at him.  
Alec was breathless to see him. Despite the fact that there were twelve other beautiful boys, they seemed obscured by his presence. The boy stood out. His beauty, his posture and his eccentricity were dazzling. Alec particularly appreciated the outfit consisting of tight burgundy trousers, beige shirt with floral designs matching the pants, and -what he had never thought possible- even the make up that had.Alec leaned slightly to read the name of the mysterious boy.  
Magnus.  
Even the name was special, and Alec was not surprised.

Filippo delivered the wreaths to the singles, and one by one they put around the necks of the boyfriends.

The first was Magnus, who walked towards Alec with a steady pace. He put the wreath around his neck, imperceptibly grazing his skin with his fingers, and winking at him. Alec bit his lower lip, slightly embarrassed and smiled at him.  
The thing that surprised him the most was the other three single guys who chose him. He blushed when he realized that he was the one with the most wreaths around his neck.  
"How much competition" Magnus commented, glancing at the other suitors. Alec giggled, but blushed suddenly.

"Boyfriends, you can choose who you want to present. Marcos"  
Marcos smiled, pointing at a guy with an imposing physique. "Kevin"  
"Hi, I’m Kevin. I’m 27 years old and I’m a cubist," he said, and there were whistles at this last statement. " I am a sunny person, I never take myself seriously, I believe that life is one and must be lived to the full. Never back out"

Lionel nodded approval to Marcos, who smiled.

"Alec"  
As soon as Filippo called him, Alec had no doubt.  
"Magnus," he said with certainty, as he stepped forward.

"Hi, I’m Magnus and I’m 28 years old. I’m a computer technician, but I also have a passion for party planning. My friends call me a hurricane, and I still don’t know if it’s good or not. I like to eat, but I always try to stay in shape, even if I don’t play sports as much as I should," he giggled. Alec had to refrain from saying ' And thank goodness'.  
"I am a rather impulsive and spontaneous person, perhaps a little eccentric - saying this, he pointed with a gesture of the hand-. The rest will be discovered in this adventure" concluded, winking at Alec.  
Before returning to place though, he approached Alec, who looked at him confused. Magnus grabbed the three wreaths and removed them from his neck, leaving only the one he had put on him.  
"These are useless," he justified, and Alec was sure that his heart was about to burst in his chest. He looked down embarrassed, sure his face was on fire. He only saw Andrew’s disgruntled expression, and wished to disappear.  
After the other singles showed up, the couples were left alone, so they could say their final good-byes.

Andrew reached Alec, with his arms already open. Alec squeezed him, giving him a kiss on the temple.

"It will be twenty-one long days," Andrew said, caressing his shoulders. Alec sighed, holding himself tighter to him. They both jumped when one of the couples started fighting.

Andrew and Alec looked at each other and giggled.  
"Nice way to start the holiday" joked Alec, clinging to Andrew’s arm.

"Couples, it’s time for you to separate" informed Filippo.  
Alec sighed and hugged Andrew again. Andrew dodged a little so he could look him in the eye.

"We have to stay calm and live this unique experience. Let’s have fun and enjoy it," he said, and Alec nodded.

"We’ll make a path, we’ll have answers or maybe more questions, but we’ll always be there for each other and that’s a certainty," Alec said with confidence. They exchanged one last kiss before they had to part.

Alec sighed and tried to chase away that magone he felt. While he was worried, he was thrilled about the new adventure he was going to have.  
He was sure that, for better or worse, it would be something they would remember forever.


End file.
